Wednesday 18 November 2015

What's it Like to be a Blogger? | My Blogging Experience

What's it Like to be a Blogger? | My Blogging Experience


Yes, I am asking myself in my head:
What's it like to be a blogger?
(also for anyone who knows my
blogs, actually wearing hair up!for once!)
Hello, how are you? All well? Posting this today instead of Friday due to mad revision for exams. 
So, I have been a busy busy person. College always catches me out, making life hectic and jam-packed with work and deadlines. Because of this, I haven't been able to blog for a while and I apologise. Sometimes blogging has to come second to my life outside the blogging sphere as much as we all wish we could blog to our hearts desire. So this got me thinking: why not give readers a inside view to my hectic life with blogging crammed onto my back and my experience with blogging. Hope I am of interest :)

1) Writers, or um bloggers block: There are times where I just can't find anything, nothing at all, to write about. To me, I'm just me , Caris, not a documentary worthy individual on television that people view, munch sweets whilst gawping at amazement, enjoying themselves at home; to me I'm just my usual self. Blogging block can last for too long: days, weeks and months, but thank goodness not years, few *lets out a sigh of relief*. Recently I have been, and still am, working so so hard to ace my A-levels, with so many negative and mixed opinions I have experienced people express about them, it just makes me want to keep trying, even when it's gone 11pm and I have to get up at 6am the next day. And this is why I struggle to find time to blog. My life is too hectic! Some times I will have these moments of not blogging and it doesn't mean I will never blog again, not at all that drastic, but just that at that moment in time, I'm afraid the brain juice is just NOT flowing :( But once I find time, I'm sat in my room, with my onesie, typing away and enjoying myself (so as I type this post, I am actually currently doing what I have described)

2) My inability to banish the evil, constant typos: Yes TYPOS! I hate them! They ruin my blog posts and are so very frustrating. But, no matter how many times I proof read my posts, which may I say takes a very long time, they STILL exist... I am utterly useless at proof reading :/ When posting a blog, you must always be sure to check your writing is up to scratch. So you ask me: why don't you use spell check? Oh; if only spell check actually lived up to it's name. For example, I type in 'colour', I'm British, that's how I spell it, but no... alas, spell check keeps changing it to 'color' but that's not how I've learnt to spell it haha, help me honestly, spell check is just a pain (odd to say that but it really is) I even have this issue with my mobile, I type 'you', phone puts 'yuo', type 'exciting', phone puts 'exististizing' -I honestly do NOT think those are even words in the English dictionary?!! My never ending frustration with technology... Technology hates me xD

3) My constant rambles: That moment when I have a great idea for a blog post and ramble, ramble, ramble, oh and ramble some more, until my blog becomes a long, listed piece of written text that breaks all laws of English, going off topic and breaking all aspects of relevance. I mean, I type pretty fast, and fast typing results in fast thinking, which sometimes becomes a long ramble of my brains contents. You know, start with a blog on beauty and it finished on my love for Battenburg cake (umm yummy) Start on a blog about food and it finishes on me complaining how mad my dogs are. The rambles of a mighty moaner indeed xD  

4) Fried, frazzled, square eyes: Yes you may get the hint on the word "square" referring to a screen, my computers screen to be exact. Every time I write a blog, my eyes just feel exhausted, they've worked too hard and just need a break. After proof reading my work, including correcting spelling and grammar (because I type too fast it goes all jumbled), arranged the format of the text and images and posted the blog, my eyes are frazzled. Not good I know, but what can one do when they love creating blog posts?  

5) The horrible occurrence of a crunched up spine: Once again, the result of sitting at a computer and writing for over an hour. My posture when typing is not good, bad for a lover of Dance I know. The amount of time I spend blogging away, typing and tying, just makes my back all crunched up. The pain I get for my love of blogging I guess xD However, I love creative writing, and a crunched up spine, as horrible and as painful as it may be, is just how it is. 

6) Exhaustion from blogging: Blogging tires me out. It's like sitting in an exam and pouring all you've got into your writing. I start at 8.30pm, I finish at 10pm or even 11.30pm. Once I hit the hay, I'm gone. No watching television, no late night feasting, and no social media; just sleep. Sleep and sleep and sleep. This is why writing things up for a Friday can be more convenient; the week is ending and after five days I get a lie in. Heck, sometimes I am just so tired, I do the bad thing of not properly proof reading posts before I upload them to my blog. This is just because I must finish and leave that piece of writing, it can be too much to bare to look at when you're sleep deprived. I just come back to it in the morning and adapt anything in need or correcting (I know I shouldn't should I, but what has a sleep zombie got the choice of?)  

There you go. Just a few little things I have and still do experience during my time as a blogger. Now I must go and sleep, a 6am wake up this morning was not enjoyable and I'll have a re-occurance of that again Friday. So for now, hope you've enjoyed this and just as a side note, I am currently revising for exams so may not be posting blogs regularly just for the time being, thank you :)  

Yours truly,
xChatty Blondex 




Saturday 7 November 2015

My Little Pick-Me-Ups | For When I'm Feeling Blue

My Little Pick-Me-Ups | For When I'm Feeling Blue  

My Motivational Board x Photgraph taken by me
Caris on my Xperia E
Hello. Today I am posting this to share a little bit about me when I'm feeling off or when it's one of those days. Do you ever do things to distract from the stresses of everyday life? Maybe a hobby, maybe something simple? Here's what I do and it's being shared for any of you who feel like saying "why do I have to have a day like this". Hope it helps x
  1. 1. Junk food night: Now yes I know I have mentioned that I suffer from stomach intolerances when eating too much junk food; but I am speaking about eating them in moderate amounts. There's something rewarding when you bit into your favourite food and hear the satisfying crunch of that delicious Jaffa cake... *come back Caris leave the land of the Jaffa Cakes* Just delishafying! -a bit of a made up word there for you ;) 
  2. Watching your favourite programme or movie: At times, it's stressful juggling everything in my daily routine and I just need a break. Everyone needs a break now and then by doing something you love, especially as I watch a series of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as I'm a crime series addict or Downton Abbey because I love period drama and history. These breaks help you get back on track and are good for your mental health in terms of your stress levels. So go ahead, find a moment when you can spare a little time and give your brain a rest from work, school, college or life in general.
  3. Listening to your favourite music: When I'm feeling down and blue, I put my earphones in and turn on my music. Songs that have great beats to them and a variety of different instruments seem to sound so nice, cheering me up and that helps my mood. Some of my favourites are Ink, Yellow and Magic by Coldplay and Cool by Alesso ft Roy English. They just have that effect that makes you want to strut to the beat and sing out loud when walking to work...ok, that's just me.. but anyway you get what I mean :)
  4. Motivational stones. 
  5. Find something motivational: We all need something to give us a boost in life. So find something motivational in your life to help when times get tough. I have motivational stones of mine which help motivate me and my motivational board in my room which is a canvas of all the inspirational, motivating quotes you can think of (see the main image above). 
  6.  Go on a walk or cycle to somewhere interesting or special to you: Now I know summer is long gone, alas, but that doesn't mean you can't venture around a town, city or a field on a walk to cheer yourself up. I personally go to my favourite  place, Princess Towers with my dogs which you can read here - My Trip to The Princess Towers | Day Out . Time alone can help you think over things that trouble you and keep you calm especially when with the company of a dog, especially if your blessed with a med Spaniel like me (Skye) but even a cycle can help too. Give it a try and admire the carpet of golden leaves covering the ground this season before they're all gone. 
There you go, just a few little things I do to help when I'm feeling down, hope this was helpful,
Yours truly,
 xChatty Blondex